AMFA visits line warriors

proAMT

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Dec 3, 2005
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SEA
Hey this is Dennis in Seattle.

I invited the National Director of AMFA Louie Key and AMFA 14 President Jim Rea to come by and talk with us some time. I explained to them that Seattle was a very small station and that we were very spread out as far as shifts and days off so that there would only be a handful of us to visit at best. Too be honest I was surprised when Mr. Key replied to my request that he would be able to drop in and visit with us. I told him once again that we were a very small station and did not want him to waste his time if he felt the crowd was not big enough.

Louie and Jim showed up at our break area and sat down and spoke with a total of six of us. Two others were there but chose not to participate (their call). Some had their shifts start earlier and some had their shifts later so we came and went. Louie and Jim sat and patiently listened to our concerns and talked with us about the state of the industry and AMFA’s approach to representing our craft. I was intrigued by the idea of Alaska’s mechanics and American mechanics having the same local and attending the same local meetings. I like the idea of the AMT’s meeting as one. We have tried the other approach for years in which our AA mechanics, supply, fleet, and others all meet together (at least in Tulsa) and to be honest I don’t think it has worked well for us. We’ve lost and lost and lost.

The TWU appears to be aiding the company in allowing more and more contracting out and with the use of unlicensed people to work jobs that have normally been done by licensed mechanics. I have to wonder how long will it be until unlicensed mechanic “helpers” find their way to our line stations as it appears they have found their way into the hangars if this contract passes. I mean how will you know that unlicensed mechanics are not doing tasks that licensed mechanics were meant to do and having them signed off by well meaning licensed mechanics?

When our union takes this course the company appears to save money in the short run hiring people willing to do their work bottom dollar in hangars that bake at well over 100 degrees in the summer and the TWU gains more loyal union dues payers. However, I believe there is a penalty for going this route.

I am better than no one and to be honest most have a brain, two eyes, two feet and hands to wrap around tools just like me. What I believe sets the majority of our licensed mechanics apart from the ordinary person on the street is years of training and experience working on aircraft of all types, in all types of situations (100 degree hangars, rainy Seattle nights) and what I call the integrity of the craft.

When I talk about integrity of the craft I am talking about not doing things the easy way but doing things the way the should be done. I am referring to the peer pressure by other licensed mechanics to do things the right way-something that might be missing if some one was more interested in making a check rather than having a love of aviation or a respect for good engineering and the importance of doing a job correctly. (Some things don't seem important but are).

I feel that knowledge, experience and integrity of the craft results in a better dispatch record, a better product and a workforce that works as a team and recognizes as a team the right way of doing things and the wrong way of doing things. I believe the flying public deserves to have someone with skill and experience working on the aircraft their loved ones will be flying on.

There are a lot of wantabies out there and that’s fine I love enthusiasm and to be honest there is a shrinking pool of good licensed mechanics.

I believe a better approach to finding mechanics would be one in which these people are aided in becoming licensed mechanics. They would be better workers for the company and when times got tough and perhaps the company no longer needed them they could use their license, experience, skill and integrity somewhere else in the aviation community. The company would also have an available pool of workers already “spun up” on their aircraft and methods. (Some ideas I have is general classes at the union hall or maintenance base or perhaps tuition reimbursement when an individual achieves each license. So many have tight schedules or are tight on money or both.)

I fear what might happen if we don’t do things the right way, the preferred way and instead do things the way that saves money on paper while allowing the TWU to expand its dues payer base at any cost. If something went tragically wrong-well let's say there'd be a lot of explaining to do and a lot of costs.

Thanks Louie and Jim for the visit I think we have plenty to offer the craft here at American.
 
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I remember a time when AA had an emphasis on good quality maintenance remember the Quality from the Ground Up program?